Fords aluminium body

[Kschwennsen]

I've heard about doors drooping over time on the aluminum bodied trucks. Guessing big 'ol farm boys using the door to climb in!

 

[Tomtint]

Holy crap Tom, both rears rotted?

front and rears

 

[Tomtint]

I think he meant rotors/

Yes rotors. But they did pads and calipers as well.

 

[MHarryE]

My 2015 is coming up on 7 years now, Northeastern Minnesota where salt begins in late October and extends into April. No body rust - major advantage over the 2005 it replaced. Backed into side of bed with my RTV and body shop was able to repair without replacement. Crunched tailgate too bad to repair - normal thing here is for farm pickups to have different color tailgate than rest of the truck but mine was too new when it happened so I got a new tailgate. My major "didn't think of that ahead of time" issue has been my magnetic mount amber flashing lights I use when towing large equipment - that was get 400 miles away from home, hook up disc, slap lights on roof and oops! Ratchet strapped through doors, closed and it worked.

 

[Paystar]

I was stuck in a bad hailstorm a couple of weeks ago. My F150 was pelted with quarter sized hail and when I got home, there were no dings whatsoever!

That's good to hear. That has been my biggest fear, LOL

Honestly, I don't know if the Ford's are any different, but I made a living in aluminum cab class 8 trucks and I've never had a problem with aluminum bodies.

I do though, love the fact that this F150 is not going to have the body rotted off it in all this road salt in the next 5 years like all my past vehicles.

 

[fishdrivel]

Bet that was a nervous ride home.

Oh, ya!

 

[fishdrivel]

Fiber beds too, in Denali and Toyota has it in the Tundra (new for 22) and Tacoma.

What is going to happen when these trucks crash and burn?
Carbon fiber becomes a serious environmental hazard when it burns!

 

[Fxfymn413]

Fire apparatus was notorious for rusting out in the 60's and 70's so one builder started using all aluminum bodies and aerial ladders in the mid 1970s. Basically it changed the entire industry so within a few years no one used steel bodies. So, at least in that industry, aluminum bodies have been used successfully for close to 50 years now.

The early versions did have a problem with corrosion popping up under the paint, but I believe that was mostly due to poor preparation before painting. Where I worked we had a fleet of over 100 vehicles and as best I can recall none of the rigs produced from the early 80's on exhibited the paint popping and the problem of body corrosion disappeared.

They were also quite a bit lighter which made the braking on the big stuff much better. We had on group of five pumpers that were delivered with steel bodies and you basically had one good stop in them before the brakes faded. We had them re-bodied with aluminum bodies after they rusted out and braking was not issue with those rigs from then on.

 

[WM75Guy]

The way the salesman explained it to me was the GM body is steel but anything that attached to it with a hinge is aluminum, i.e. doors, hood, and tailgate.

 

[WM75Guy]

Fire apparatus was notorious for rusting out in the 60's and 70's so one builder started using all aluminum bodies and aerial ladders in the mid 1970s. Basically it changed the entire industry so within a few years no one used steel bodies. So, at least in that industry, aluminum bodies have been used successfully for close to 50 years now.

The early versions did have a problem with corrosion popping up under the paint, but I believe that was mostly due to poor preparation before painting. Where I worked we had a fleet of over 100 vehicles and as best I can recall none of the rigs produced from the early 80's on exhibited the paint popping and the problem of body corrosion disappeared.

They were also quite a bit lighter which made the braking on the big stuff much better. We had on group of five pumpers that were delivered with steel bodies and you basically had one good stop in them before the brakes faded. We had them re-bodied with aluminum bodies after they rusted out and braking was not issue with those rigs from then on.

But the problem with the aluminum bodies was if the truck got hit. Get hit in the left rear, it would flex the compartment body and pop welds in the right front. We saw that especially with the ambulance bodies when they moved away from steel frames. Have a major impact and you had to pull the skin off all 4 sides to check for frame damage.

 

[dodge man]

A couple of things to add. The F150‘s if they catch fire will burn to the ground. Apparently the aluminum w I’ll burn. I think the early ones had a problem with an area where the seatbelts are catching fire. My understanding is a mechanism inside the door fires to tighten the seatbelt in a wreck. This was catching the insulation in this area on fire, and a couple of trucks burned up.

My understanding is the aluminum is more dent resistant. The paintless dent repair guys can take dents out but it takes a little more work. From what I’ve seen the aluminum will often tear in an accident, the panel gets replaced but the same panel would get replaced even if steel.

 

[bhurley52]

I've seen pictures of vehicle fires involving Ford aluminum trucks. They burn hotter, faster, and more complete.

 

[Rustyiron]

I'm not sure, but I think I'd just be fine with that, no haggling with the insurance company.

 

[Calgaryglenn]

Any feedback on the corrosion results? I haven't kept up with the calendar, but didn't they start with the F150 enough years ago to have an opinion?
I'm skeptical but what's the owners responses.

I have a 2016 with 168,000 on it over 6 seasons and have had no complaints with the aluminum body. I had other brand trucks before for business and in my opinion only, the F150 is a vastly superior truck. I would not hesitate in buying another one. My only half complaint is I have the 3.5 Eco Boost and it can slurp fuel if you push it. If you drive the limit and gently accelerate it's comparable to any other truck but if you put your foot into to gulps the gas.
I hope this helps.

 

[Root Cause]

I have a 2016 with 168,000 on it over 6 seasons and have had no complaints with the aluminum body. I had other brand trucks before for business and in my opinion only, the F150 is a vastly superior truck. I would not hesitate in buying another one. My only half complaint is I have the 3.5 Eco Boost and it can slurp fuel if you push it. If you drive the limit and gently accelerate it's comparable to any other truck but if you put your foot into to gulps the gas.
I hope this helps.

Its Eco or Boost but not both at the same time.

 

[4570Man]

A couple of things to add. The F150‘s if they catch fire will burn to the ground. Apparently the aluminum w I’ll burn. I think the early ones had a problem with an area where the seatbelts are catching fire. My understanding is a mechanism inside the door fires to tighten the seatbelt in a wreck. This was catching the insulation in this area on fire, and a couple of trucks burned up.

My understanding is the aluminum is more dent resistant. The paintless dent repair guys can take dents out but it takes a little more work. From what I’ve seen the aluminum will often tear in an accident, the panel gets replaced but the same panel would get replaced even if steel.

What difference does it make? Steel or aluminum either way the truck is going to the scrap yard.

 

[Calgaryglenn]

What difference does it make? Steel or aluminum either way the truck is going to the scrap yard.

Aluminum doesn't rust out and it's less dead weight.

 

[4570Man]

Aluminum doesn't rust out and it's less dead weight.

I meant in reference to catching on fire. Like who cares if the aluminum melts when that happens?

 

[Calgaryglenn]

I meant in reference to catching on fire. Like who cares if the aluminum melts when that happens?

My bad, old man brain cramp!

 

[dodge man]

Where steel will get ruined if it’s on fire, it doesn’t burn. On the other hand aluminum actually burns. In a car crash fires aren’t that common but it can be a problem if the sheet metal is fuel for the fire.